


MAG BO.1 - "Dreamt in Confidence"

by SpaceBeeInOrbit



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: ;), Gen, M/M, Original Statement (The Magnus Archives), Suicide Attempt, The Magnus Archives Season 2, Transcript Format, except not really, takes place between MAG 71 + 73, the vast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:28:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24941587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceBeeInOrbit/pseuds/SpaceBeeInOrbit
Summary: Case #0170102 - Simone ReynoldsStatement regarding a close call with a client on January 29th, 2016.The Magnus Archives tells the story of an inexplicable and altogether anticlimactic visit from an American expat working as an unlicensed therapist.
Relationships: In the background, Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Kudos: 11





	MAG BO.1 - "Dreamt in Confidence"

Case #0170102 - Simone Reynolds

Statement regarding a close call with a client on January 29th, 2016.

[CLICK]

ARCHIVIST:

You seem a bit uncomfortable.

SIMONE:

_[Exhales]_ I'm not sure I should be here. I definitely shouldn't be here, but...

Do... do you think it goes against patient confidentiality if the patient is... gone?

ARCHIVIST:

I- I don't really think I'm... We have very strict NDAs for our documents if you're worried about word getting out.

SIMONE:

I suppose that's the best I could hope for. I can't give you a name anyways and- I didn't know who I should go to with this, if I went to my colleagues, well... I've since reconsidered some of my thoughts on therapy practice and mental illness since experiencing the instinctive fear upon realizing I knew exactly what my coworkers would do if I told them about this.

ARCHIVIST:

Wait, just a moment before you continue-

Statement of Miss Simone Reynolds, regarding a strange disappearance taking place during a bright day about...

SIMONE:

About a year ago now, late January of last year.

ARCHIVIST:

Right.

Statement recorded direct from subject the 1st of February, 2017. Statement begins.

SIMONE (STATEMENT):

This is about a gir-... per-person? Who came to my office. Desperate to Know what was 'wrong'? What was bothering him? Sorry, them... They wanted to know what they were struggling against, a 'know your enemy' kind of thing I think. Tried to say that wasn't very healthy of an approach, but they insisted they just wanted help in 'identifying'.

I thought they might be suppressing memories, trauma. They were always so... anxious and high strung but they couldn't give me any particular source. It was everything, almost.

Eventually I decided to try and talk them through some memories? Or at least in a suggestive state ask them vague questions and see where it led. I'll be honest I was reaching the end of my rope. I told them there was anxiety definitely, and either depression or manic-depressive symptoms from what I'd seen but they kept saying it wasn't enough. That I was missing something. That they needed to Know more.

So I tried... dream hypnosis. Sort of. It was more like guided meditation than anything else. I'd done it myself more than once, done it with friends it- there's no way it should've- it can't have- ...it wasn't my fault. Whatever happened, it was the fault of something that came long before I did. I- I didn't do this.

Maybe that's worse... if I had done it at least I might have a better idea of the what, or the why but... all I know is that something happened and I somehow, triggered it. One potential catalyst of- of many possible. All I know is that there's something out there that at any moment can just... pull us away.

I was talking them through it, letting them unknowingly take the reins, see where it led us. Give them something, make it feel like we were doing something to further investigate. I didn't actually expect anything to come from it. I just needed them to stop asking me questions.

As soon as we began it was clear it made them self-conscious, there wasn't a lot that didn't, so I offered to close my eyes as well. Their tone didn't change a lot, but I think it helped. As we went on they actually _relaxed_ . I know how that sounds, and I _was_ relieved at first. At first.

But for some reason, as they spoke and their voice calmed, lowered, it sounded wrong. The sense of calm was overpowering, all-encompassing. They sounded far away...

I suddenly realized I hadn't understood a single thing they'd been saying and hurried to push through the almost numbing feeling and they repeated the question I had missed, abnormally unbothered by my inattentiveness.

They were talking about... I'm sorry it's just that. I'm not sure if... I remember how it felt but the words... I think they were talking about water? Drowning? I just remember the cooling temperature of the room, the slight damp that seemed to fill the air I- I was trying to focus on their words. They- They said, "When I dream here, its always the same." That... "I'm always looking up at the light as it pulls away, I know the sandy floor below me more than I feel it. I know it is dark around me even though I’ve never looked. I could only look up..." And I- I said "Are you there now?"

"Yes," they said. "I wasn't sure but..."

Rather than the familiar shaking they normally exhibited when trailing off that was the sign of an attack, one which I would need to help them through, this was complete eerie calm. I got the intrinsic sense that it just wasn't important to them that I understand. That more than anything made me want to stop whatever this was that was happening but instead...

"What do I do now?"

They spoke and I felt compelled to answer without hesitation.

"Look."

The last thing I heard from them was a small, serene "Oh." before it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room and the damp disappeared with the calm. I couldn't breathe, I was panicking, I needed to open my eyes, I needed to see what was happening but- I couldn't, or- or maybe I didn't want to.

I was suspended in that moment, until shockingly, I blinked.

The couch was empty apart from a slight impression. I felt a draft despite thinking with confidence that the window was shut tight. Sluggishly, I turned my head towards the window. The air rushed in when my lungs called on it but the panic I had felt only heightened.

I had already started to surge forward by the time I fully processed what I was looking at. They- They were- The window was blown wide open, and the cold air was rushing in, but they didn’t seem to care. One knee was already through the frame, head and torso tipping forward as they leaned fully out with absolutely zero inhibitions. I thought for sure I wasn’t going to make it in time but- but I managed to get one hand tangled in their sweater and the other partially wrapped around the waist.

And… they just froze. There was no resistance, either. Then I felt a sudden deep heave of breath and realized with a start they hadn’t been breathing either.

I might have pulled them in with a bit more force than necessary, but… I was well and truly freaked out. And they- they still couldn’t take their eyes off the window. I couldn’t get anything out of them as to an explanation. I- I would’ve assumed it was the normal but- They had shown none of the signs, you understand, and it was just… It was just weird!

They just left, afterwards. With barely a word. “See you in two weeks!” Like _nothing_ had happened! I had half a mind to try and get emergency services after them but… for some reason I didn’t think they’d do that again. I told myself if they seemed at all off the next visit I’d pursue it.

ARCHIVIST: 

...And?

SIMONE:

Well, nothing. They didn’t show up and... nobody came to ask after them. I sent a couple emails but they just said a work thing had come up. But they never rescheduled. And I stopped getting any responses.

ARCHIVIST:

If… you don’t mind me asking, why now?

SIMONE:

Sorry?

ARCHIVIST:

Why wait to make a statement until now?

SIMONE:

...This has been on my mind since it happened. It left me- it left me quite shaken. It’s something important. So when- when I had trouble remembering some of the details I got… anxious. It’s like, I could feel it slipping from me. I looked them up, I know I did but my search history… I don’t remember what I found. When I went to check I couldn’t find the official documents and I know I wrote it down over and over because of the feeling and yet... it's gone now. I lost the name, I let it slip. But the story is still here. For now. I can at least remember what happened as long as I can, they deserve that.

Because I’m not sure how I know but… they’re gone.

ARCHIVIST:

Alright. _[Clears throat]_ If that's all-

[ONE-TWO KNOCK]

[DOOR CREAKS OPEN]

MARTIN:

Ah- sorry for the interruption! But you did want those papers as soon as possible, right?

ARCHIVIST:

_[Huffs]_ Yes, I suppose I did. ...Thank you, Martin, now-

MARTIN:

Oh! Miss, would you like a cup of tea? Or- or maybe some water? You look a bit pale... actually you both seem a bit off colour...

ARCHIVIST:

_[Strangled]_ We're fine Marti-

SIMONE:

_[Overlapping]_ Actually, tea would be lovel-

[PAPERS FLUTTER BEING PUT DOWN]

Martin:

...Right. I'll be back with tea for both of you.

[DOOR SHUTS]

ARCHIVIST:

I apologize for the interruption. Are you satisfied with your statement?

SIMONE:

I suppose so. The only thing I can think to add is that they're why I know of this place I think... I think they talked about it sometimes. Otherwise, well- This isn't exactly my scene. I doubt I would have found you.

ARCHIVIST:

_[Quietly]_ Oh...

SIMONE:

_[Exhales sharply]_ I'm-

ARCHIVIST:

_[Cringing, and overlapping]_ No, no, I didn't think. Terribly sorry.

[PAUSE, CLOCK TICKS]

Why don't we go get that tea?

Statement ends.

[CLICK]

ARCHIVIST:

Well, I can frankly say that despite there being an utter lack of any possible paperwork and information to follow up on, Ms. Reynolds story managed to have an… effect on me. I’m not sure there’s anything we can really do.

That bothers me. There’s a possibility that this is all just a quirk of memory on our visitor’s part due to a stressful situation. Unlicensed as she is, maybe she was unprepared for such a thing to happen in her office, in her presence.

But I get the distinct feeling that isn’t the case. I’ll be keeping a lookout for any… similar instances, but with no description or ID… I don’t have high expectations.

End recording.

[CLICK]


End file.
